


I'll Protect You Now

by IrisBagginsGrayson



Series: Dadvid Appreciation Week 2017 [2]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Bonding, Dadvid Appreciation Week, Dadvid Zombie AU, David becomes a dad, Family Bonding, Found Family, Gen, Trust, Zombie AU, Zombies, apocalypse au, dadvid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 22:32:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12467408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisBagginsGrayson/pseuds/IrisBagginsGrayson
Summary: Day 2 - Lights, Camera, Family!He never thought he'd ever be able to take care of a kid, but here he is, with a foul-mouthed kid to protect. It feels good, to be able to protect something, to take care of something.Zombie Dadvid AU, where David ends up taking care of a scared and malnourished Max.STAY AWAY IF YOU SUPPORT MA///ID





	I'll Protect You Now

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2!
> 
> This is halfway based off of Warm Bodies, but where platonic and familial love works just as well as romantic love. AND THIS IS COMPLETELY FAMILIAL IF I SEE ANY OF YOU FUCKS TWIST THIS I WILL COME AND BITE YOUR HEAD OFF.
> 
> Warnings for: Zombies (and the accompanying talk about some zombie stuff, but no real gore or anything openly discussed), a lot of cussing and slight themes of child abandonment. And death, since this is a zombie AU, even if there's no deaths mentioned outright.
> 
> This is un-beta'd, so if there's any mistakes please do tell!

David stared at the bent metal bit, his head tilted to the side. The child hadn’t left in a while, and that couldn’t mean anything good. He walked over to the little shelter, slightly dragging his left leg after him. It never really worked, but that was fine. It worked, in a way. So that was good.

When he reached the little cave made up of metal plates and some plastic, David kneeled down - his joints and bones creaking - and looked into the darkness. He couldn’t see anything-

«Fuck off! Don’t you dare come any closer!» Ah, there they were. The high-pitched voice of the scared child that had hidden away in this make-shift shelter. David suspected that the kid probably was too weak to really move anywhere. At least, according to how strong his hits had been. He’d whacked David on the head a couple of times during their first meeting, but David had barely felt a thing.

«Ngg?» David tilted his head a little more, his hands touching the dirt to be able to lean a little more forward. It couldn’t be healthy to stay like that. The kid had to have stayed there for at least a day, and he had to be running out of food by now. 

«I will throw your fucking head across the lake if you get any closer! I swear, you dead-ass, raisin-looking motherfucker, I will smash your head in!» The boy yelled, and David spotted a bat in his hands. 

‘ _It’s not like you’re going to be able to do any real damage, with the way your hands are shaking_ ,’ David thought as he observed the boy. He didn’t like the thought of such a young kid all alone, and even less the thought of a child starving on his watch. Kids were supposed to be safe and happy, not fighting for their lives.

‘ _You look so thin! You can’t have been on your own for that long? Where are your parents? Did you get separated? Well, I’ll help you find them! Of course, my first priority is to find some food for you, so you don’t starve. There’s a store nearby, I think. I don’t think any Living has been there?’_   Food was a priority for any Living thing, so, that would be his top priority. 

«Grrnnnggg,» David grunted and pointed at the boy, before pointing at the ground in a «stay here» motion, before slowly rising. A grin started to form on his lips, pulling at damaged skin. 

He had a purpose now. He had something he could do. Something that made him feel useful, made him feel like he wasn’t just wandering everywhere. A purpose. After so long of searching, so long of just… Existing… He had a _purpose_.

Feed the boy, make sure he was safe. 

For some reason, the thought of taking care of a child felt natural to him. As if he was always supposed to have done this.

 

 _‘I’ll make sure you’re safe, kid! That you’re warm and well fed and happy! It’ll be just like-’_ David froze, his eyes furrowing, grin slowly fading. Like what? There had been a memory there, some kind of- some kind of thought… As if there- there was something he didn’t remember… Like… Warm summers and lakes and laughter… But… He didn’t remember that, did he?

Shaking his head, David grinned again. He was just being silly! There wasn’t anything to remember! He’d always stayed around the lodges in the forest some miles away from here. It was nothing, just a stray thought.

Grunting again, David rose and began to walk in the direction of where the store was supposed to be. He had a kid to feed, so there was no time to diddle daddle!

* * *

 

David dropped the backpack at the opening of the little shelter before he knelt down, his knees touching the dirt and his hands resting on his thigh. He let out a soft grunt while slightly poking his head in. _‘The kid has to be in here, right? He can’t have left-’_

Something collided with his nose and made him fall flat on his ass, dazed. What the-

«Fuck off!» 

Ah. That explained it.

David could just make out the mess of curls and the bat poised to strike again. The boy was still here, sitting curled up in a little ball, the bat clutched in his hands. _‘He’s so weak. Oh dear, he must be starving! Well, I have some things I think he’ll like! Hopefully he’ll be able to be back on his feet in no time!’_

Grunting lightly and as positively as he could, David gently shoved the backpack into the little shelter. He’d stuffed it with everything he could find - stuff to drink, snacks, and some of those pretty little lights they had in there. Everything a little boy would need, right?

Although, he wasn’t sure energy drinks, soda and iced coffee were the things small children should live off of. Oh well, it was what he found! He was sure there’d be more stuff further out, and he hadn’t taken everything from the store! He’d make sure the kid would be able to have food that fit a child, soon enough! For now, chips and chocolate and protein bars would do.

«What the fuck is that? What the fuck did you bring me, you ugly fuck-ass?» The boy asked and David made a noise at that. For some reason, his automatic response to the swearing was a thought of « _language_ », and David tilted his head gently. Hm. It was the same feeling as earlier, with the thing with the laughter and the sun. It was… Weird…

Shaking his head gently, David pointed at the bag and then at his mouth, trying to convey «for eating» without using words. He knew Living couldn’t understand the Dead, so he had to improvise. 

«…You want to eat? What I don’t- What the fuck are you doing?» The boy sounded startled and disturbed, his voice high-pitched and nervous. 

«F….Oo…D…» There! Something resembling words! David felt himself grinning, and pointed at the bag, repeating the noises he just made. «Y……uu…» He pointed at the boy, grinning even wider. «E………tttt…»

«What, you- you want me to fatten up, so you- so you can eat me? Why- Why did you bring this fucking backpack to me?! Why haven’t you attacked me yet you fucking rotten bitch!»

David shook his head, his fingers curling in the dirt. _‘I don’t eat Living. I don’t attack Living. They’re… Alive… I’m not… I don’t want to attack Living. Especially not children. Never children.’_

He didn’t know why he was so against children being harmed, where this conviction of protecting them came from, but he knew it was right. That no child should ever be hurt. No matter what. It was just… Something told him harming people was wrong, and especially harming children.

«What, you’re ‘different’? You got a ‘heart’? Aww bo-hoo for you, but I’m not believing you. I won’t be fattened up like those stupid-ass kids in that one fucking fairytale.» The boy’s tone was mocking but his voice was wavering. 

_‘No, I just want you to stay alive, dummy! You need to eat so you can get strong again, so we can work on finding your family! When we find your family, you’ll be safe and you don’t have to be alone!’_

David tried to smile as warmly and gently as he could, his teeth showing and his skin stretching and crinkling. He pointed at the backpack again before pointing at the child, before slowly rising. Maybe the child was scared of eating in front of him? That was probably it! 

Nodding to himself David rose slowly, pointing one last time at the backpack, before walking over to the tree-log he’d sat on for the past day. He wanted to be close to the kid, so that no harm could be done upon him. Lord knows how those other Dead are! They don’t care about if someone’s Living or not. They just Feed and that’s bad. So, someone has to protect the boy from those unruly Dead!

Sitting down on the log, David spares one last glance at the parts of metal and plastic that the young child has taken as shelter, before focusing on his little knife and the piece of wood he’s been slowly, slowly carving. For some reason, he liked that. He knew how to carve things out of wood. And that was nice.

* * *

A day had passed since he’d first given the boy the backpack, and David had currently carved four pieces of wood - a bird (parrot, he thought the name of it was), a tiny little bat, an oval circle and a bear. He didn’t know why the bear made him feel queasy, why seeing it made him feel like something bad had happened once, but he ignored it, just like the laughter and the purpose and the rest of it.

 _‘I wonder how the kid’s doing.’_ David put his stuff on the ground with a light grunt, turning his head to look at the shelter. Sometimes, having only one good eye sucked, but, he would make do! He could manage, it just required him turning his head a lot. _‘He probably needs more time to get better, so I’ll wait here and help him if he needs any! I just hope he eats.’_

David grunted again as he looked up at the blue sky, a feeling of _something_ settling over his chest. He didn’t know why he worried so much about this kid he’d just met, but… He didn’t want anyone to be alone, least of all a child. And nobody seemed to take care of him, so, it was up to David to do so. And he would, he would make sure the boy was healthy and safe. 

_‘Because somebody fucking has to.’_

* * *

He’d been so preoccupied with his slow carving that he almost missed the sound of leaves crunching. Turning his head, David’s eye locked onto vivid green eyes. A smile stretched over David’s face at the sight of the boy, finally out of his shelter and already looking healthier. 

«Ok, fuck-face, I don’t know why you gave me this, or if you’re gonna attack me or something, but… I guess since I see you here, and if you do actually understand me, where did you find all this shit?» The boy hefted the backpack up, his stare cold and untrusting, «‘Cos I need more if I’m gonna be able to get anywhere. And currently, you’re the only fucking thing out here. And I’d rather not spend my whole fucking day searching for something that could be miles away. But, if you try anything, I’ll fucking crush your head, got it?»

David couldn’t stop it, he was grinning ear to ear, some of his skin peeling off at the edges. He wanted his help! The kid actually, legit wanted his help! David nodded franticly (maybe a little too fast, since he could feel his neck cracking and popping which each motion) and just grinned at the boy.

«Ysss…» Of course he’d help him! He put the unfinished wooden carving down on the ground and with his unsteady and uncoordinated hands put the knife in the little slot in his belt. Motioning with his hands in a «come with me» gesture, he began walking in the direction of the beat-down little store he’d found. 

«You’re… Going to lead me… To a store… You know how fucking shady that is, right?» The boy said, but he did indeed follow after David. «A fucking zombie leading a little kid along abandoned roads… I don’t trust you, at all, but, you’re my only hope for food. So I’ll follow you, but if you try anything I’ll shove this bat so far up your ass you’ll see stars.»

David couldn’t help the smile that kept pulling at his lips as he nodded. He wouldn’t harm the kid, not in a million years. He felt protective of him, for some reason, but he didn’t know why. So he just kept on grinning as he walked, his left foot still unsteady and making him limp.  

* * *

«My name’s Max,» the kid - Max - said a day after they’d left the little clearing where Max had taken shelter. «If you were curious, which, since you’re basically dead, you probably didn’t.»

David looked at Max with a tilted head, before his face broke into a grin. He’d wondered about his name, but he didn’t know how to ask, or if he’d even appreciate the question. Max. That was the name of the boy he’d been protective for the last few days. 

«D..a…vvvvidddd..» David grunted after a while, still grinning. Words were hard and they hurt, but he could manage to say a few words.

«…David? You got a fucking name? Well, you talk, which, is fucking weird for a zombie, but I guess that’s just one more fucked up thing about you,» Max said as he looked into the little fire he’d made earlier. David had been very proud when the boy had managed to make it all on his own, for some reason. 

Grinning, David nodded. Well, he only had a name because he’d had one attached to his shirt when he woke up. Jasper did, too. They’d fallen off after around five months, so he didn’t really have the proof anymore. But he liked to think David was his name, and Jasper was Jasper’s name. It was nice, to have a name. It was one more thing that made him different from the Gone.

«You’re fucking weird. I don’t get why you follow me around, but if it’s too eat me, I swear I’ll beat you up.»

«O…..K….»

«Idiot…»

* * *

Months had passed, and Max had stayed by him, saying it was «safer» to be with him. David, however, liked to think it was because Max cared about him. David certainly did. He wouldn’t say it out loud - if he could even make the sounds to say it - but he did view Max as, well, his son. Or at least something close to it. 

And he would do anything to protect Max. Anything.

«Hey, David, look! There’s houses there! Maybe they have some new clothes!» Max said from where he was perched on a tree-branch, the bat strapped to his back. David looked up and nodded, grinning wide. 

«Maybe... Come… Down… You… Hurt…» David said loudly, voice raspy and rough. His speech had improved greatly during the months he’d been watching over Max, although he still couldn’t form proper sentences. But he was better, and he could actually communicate with Max. So that was some great improvement!

«Relax, mother hen, I’m fine. I’ve handled worse, so calm your tits,» Max responded, and David was sure the boy was rolling his eyes at him.

_‘Well, somebody has to worry about you. And I do. Because if something happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do.’_

* * *

«Dad?»

«Huh?» David looked up from where he was packing the backpacks and up to the three kids that had walked up to him. «What?»

«We’re going to the Main Sanctuary, right?» Nikki asked, her hand resting on the hilt of her machete. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and David noticed that her roots had grown a lot. He hoped they could find some hair color for her, because he knew she loved coloring it.

«Yes,» David answered with a fond smile. His voice had grown softer, a little bit more like a Living. _He_ looked more like a Living. He could almost pass for one! 

«You’re coming with us, right?» Neil asked as he nervously tugged at his satchel. He looked nervous, and David had an idea of why.

«Of course,» David said gently as he closed the zipper of the last backpack. «I can’t… Let you kids…. Go alone…»

«Good,» Max said, his hands stuffed in his pockets, «‘Cos if not I’d abduct you and force you to come with us.» 

David grinned at the three of them and made a soft noise. His kids were the best.

«I know. I’m… Coming with… Because… Someone has to… Protect you… Kids…» David told them as he rose to his feet and gently ruffled Max’s hair. 

«More like protect you, you mean, you big zombie idiot,» Max grumbled as he tried to fix his hair, to no avail. Max stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket, a grumpy look on his face. It reminded David of the first few months with Max, when Max was still scared of him and didn’t really trust him.

Now, four years later, he had five kids (that all referred to him as «Dad») plus several kids he’d met over the years that his kids had come close to. He might be Dead, but he was a father and he was so proud of his brave kids.                                                                                                                                                       

He was happier than he’d ever been. And he felt more Living than he’d ever hoped to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Wooohhh, that was longer than yesterday's. I managed to finish it, and I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. This is basicly some basic information about my AU. It's not much, I know, but it's the basics. I'm always open to talk about this AU, because I've completely fallen in love with it.
> 
> Also, his kids are Neil, Nikki, Max, Space Kid and Harrison. They have met Nerris and her family, and Nurf and his mom and they'll meet the rest of the gang (most probably) either on the way to or in the "Main Sanctuary". And oh yeah, before I forget to mention it, Gwen's with them, and in the last scene she's helping Space Kid pack his stuff. She came along a year from that scene, and she's the Mom of the group. I just wasn't able to include her in this, which is sad :( But tomorrow is Momgwen, so we'll see more of her then!
> 
> Until next time; see ya!  
> (Visit me on my tumblr, that-one-strange-geek to ask me questions 'n' shit!)


End file.
